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Olney On Dodgers, Hamels

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The Dodgers should have the financial flexibility to pursue trades aggressively this summer, and there’s an expectation that the team’s payroll will rise next offseason, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes. The Dodgers’ new owners could pursue free agents such as Josh Hamilton, Miguel Montero and Mike Napoli next winter, assuming they’re willing to spend more than $90MM on payroll. Here’s more from Olney:

  • The Dodgers’ front office will likely renew its interest in the market for Latin American players, Olney reports. The team was relatively inactive in Latin America under former owner Frank McCourt, but has a history of star-caliber Latin American players.
  • The Phillies haven’t made recent progress with the representatives for Cole Hamels regarding a possible extension, Olney writes. The left-hander’s asking price won’t dip below five years and $112.5MM (Matt Cain’s contract) and seems to rise every day. Sources connected to the MLBPA believe Hamels will get six-year offers as a free agent.

Quick Hits: Abreu, Cespedes, Young, Phillies, Cook

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Former first overall draft pick Tim Beckham has been suspended for 50 games, MLB announced. The shortstop, who had reached Triple-A in the Rays' system, is in violation of MLB's drug policy for the second time. "I take full responsibility for my actions and I will use this experience to refocus my commitment to baseball," he said in a statement released by the team. Here are more links from around the league…

  • Bobby Abreu could make sense for the Orioles, opines Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Nick Johnson remains hitless on the season and Nolan Reimold recently left the team to have numbness and tingling in his fingers examined.
  • An arbitration claim for breach of contract has been filed against Yoenis Cespedes of the Athletics reports Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes. Edgar Mercedes, who helped represent Cespedes during his free agency, is owed 17% of the outfielder's earnings but has not yet been paid.
  • It's encouraging that MLB suspended Tigers outfielder Delmon Young following last week's incident in New York City, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports writes. Young's actions will cost him millions, Morosi explains. Before the incident I suggested a multiyear deal was within reach for Young if he had a strong season. It's definitely harder to imagine any team making a multiyear commitment today.
  • The Phillies announced that they selected the contract of right-hander Brian Sanches from Lehigh Valley. Sanches takes the place of David Herndon on the team’s active roster.
  • One agent suggested to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the Yankees might have interest in Aaron Cook if the Red Sox don’t make room for the right-hander on their roster by today (Twitter link). Cook can opt out of his deal with Boston if he’s not added to the roster today.
  • There haven’t been recent talks between Mike Napoli and the Rangers or Miguel Montero and the Diamondbacks, Heyman tweets. Montero is looking for a four-year deal in the $52MM range and Napoli seeks more than that. Heyman suggests Napoli is more likely than Montero to sign an extension.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Quick Hits: Phillies, Inge, Yankees, Red Sox

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The final game on tonight's docket is in progress as the Nationals face the Padres at Petco Park.  Links for this evening..

NL East Notes: Jurrjens, Utley, Tejada, Wright

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Here are some links from the NL East on the day Chipper Jones turns 40 and Jose Reyes returns to Citi Field…

  • The Braves optioned right-hander Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Gwinnett following a disappointing start against the Dodgers yesterday. The right-hander has a 9.37 ERA through four starts, so he's returning to the minors, where he last spent considerable time in 2007. Jurrjens' path to free agency could be affected if he spends two months or more in the minor leagues.
  • Phillies manager Charlie Manuel hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing Chase Utley at first base when he's activated from the disabled list, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. If Utley returns before Ryan Howard, the Phillies could mix things up defensively. "We'll figure that out when we get there," Manuel said. 
  • Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada has the unenviable task of replacing Reyes, but as Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com shows, the 22-year-old has already earned the confidence of his team. Meanwhile, Tejada says Reyes was a "great teammate" in New York before signing a $106MM free agent contract with the Marlins this past offseason. 
  • Ken Davidoff of the New York Post suggests there's no rush to lock David Wright up long-term despite the third baseman's hot start. Davidoff points out that it's April and that Wright is under team control through 2013. If he's still hitting this well when summer trade talks begin in earnest, the Mets will face a major decision, but we aren't there yet.

Minor Moves: Rivera, Miller, Wolf, Thurston

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Keeping track of the day's minor moves…

  • The Red Sox signed catcher Mike Rivera, according to the Long Island Ducks' official website.  Rivera had been playing with the independent team after being released by the Brewers during Spring Training.  The 35-year-old catcher has 605 plate appearances over nine Major League seasons, mostly with Milwaukee.
  • The Rangers released Justin Miller, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest tweets. The right-hander has a partial tear of his right UCL.
  • The Orioles released right-hander Ross Wolf, MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli tweets. Wolf, 29, posted a 4.76 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 73 2/3 innings of relief for Houston's top affiliate last year. 
  • The Phillies released Joe Thurston, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Thurston signed with the Phillies last month after the Astros released him late in Spring Training. The 32-year-old has a .226/.305/.323 line in 384 MLB plate appearances with the Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Cardinals and Marlins. He has appeared in one MLB game since 2009.

Rosenthal On Halladay, Royals, Wandy

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Roy Halladay is pitching differently this year, according to pitch f/x data and team officials who spoke to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Though Halladay remains effective, he’s relying on different weapons than the ones he used in the past. Here are Rosenthal’s latest rumors:

  • The Royals have lost ten consecutive games, but GM Dayton Moore says it’s not always bad to scuffle. “I’m not shocked that we’re struggling out of the gate,” Moore told Rosenthal. “Although you expect good things to happen, we’re very young.” Rosenthal cites a scout who was “decidedly unimpressed” by the Royals’ play this weekend.
  • Rosenthal suggests the Padres might be inclined to trade Carlos Quentin if he hits well once he returns from knee surgery in May. Rosenthal wonders if the Padres might look to sign Quentin to a two-year deal in the $18-20MM range if he has a decent season.
  • Many teams are intimidated by Wandy Rodriguez’s contract, Rosenthal reports. The left-hander earns $10MM in 2012 and $13MM in 2013. The Astros hold a $13MM club option for 2014, but it becomes a player option if they trade him.
  • Some executives were surprised the Reds committed $72.5MM to Brandon Phillips when some of their best prospects (Billy Hamilton and Didi Gregorius) are middle infielders.
  • Adam Dunn looks more comfortable at the plate this year, one scout says.

Olney On Phillies, Hamels, Athletics, Colon

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The latest from Buster Olney of ESPN.com..

  • There's still no conversation between the Phillies and left-hander Cole Hamels on a new contract, Olney tweets.  A high profile agent who doesn't know Hamels told Olney (Twitter link) that between the Cubs, Dodgers, and other major players, the lefty will get a six-year offer as free agent.  Other agents presume that at some point this season Hamels will be so close to free agency that he'll test the market rather than sign with the Phillies, tweets Olney.
  • In today's column (Insider sub. req'd), Olney suggests that A's pitcher Bartolo Colon could be traded sooner rather than later.  With the A's building the team for 2015-16, they could be motivated to move Colon when they perceive his value is at its highest, rather than waiting until later in the year.  Colon's base salary for this season is just $2MM, making him more affordable than the alternatives that will pop up on the market. 

Quick Hits: Phillies, Red Sox, Rangers, Vazquez

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The latest links from around MLB…

  • Placido Polanco, John Mayberry Jr. and Jim Thome aren't hitting, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News points out that this puts the Phillies in an uncomfortable situation. Murphy looks back at some of the Phillies' offseason decisions and wonders if the team should have prioritized a hitter over a closer.
  • Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald points out that two of Boston's primary offseason additions – Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon — are no longer contributing on the big league roster just two weeks into the season. Bailey is recovering from thumb surgery and the Red Sox optioned Melancon to Triple-A.
  • Ken Davidoff of the New York Post says the Rangers might have the best 25-man roster in baseball. Davidoff believes Texas can sustain its success even if prominent players leave as free agents.
  • Infielder Ramon Vazquez is looking to make a comeback and some teams are showing interest, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets. The 35-year-old hasn’t played in the Major Leagues since 2009.

Red Sox Scouting Scott Podsednik

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The Red Sox are scouting Scott Podsednik, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Boston is looking for outfield help following the injuries suffered by Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Podsednik, 36, is currently hitting .158/.304/.158 in 23 plate appearances for the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate. They are willing to trade him for a fair return despite their scuffling offense. The Red Sox are actively exploring the outfield market, but earlier tonight we heard that they have not inquired about J.D. Drew's availability.

Quick Hits: Hamels, Athletics, McCarthy, Rockies

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Stephen Strasburg looked almost human tonight, allowing two runs in six innings against the Astros to raise his ERA all the way up to 0.95 for the season.  Strasburg still picked up the win in a 6-3 Nationals victory and, as a bonus, got a hilarious new nickname for his curveball, courtesy of MLB Network's Jerry Manuel.

Here are a few odds and ends from around the Majors…

  • Matt Cain figures Cole Hamels' next contract (whether with the Phillies or on the free agent market) will earn the southpaw more than Cain's recent extension with the Giants, reports MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.  "History-wise, lefties have always brought more than a righty," Cain said. "It's just the nature of the game."  Cain said he was happy to sign his extension and remain in San Francisco for the long-term as free agency is "not always a beautiful thing."
  • The Athletics' stadium issue and possible move to San Jose will not be on the agenda at the next owners meetings, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Earlier today, Slusser reported that the A's were pushing to have the issue subjected to a vote of other owners so they could have the issue settled once and for all.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney (via Twitter) thinks the A's could explore a multiyear contract with Brandon McCarthy.  The right-hander has pitched very well in his time in Oakland, posting a 3.24 ERA and a 4.59 K/BB ratio in 28 starts.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes considered McCarthy as an extension candidate in February.
  • The Rockies' starting pitching woes could be solved by three southpaw prospects — Drew Pomeranz, Christian Friedrich and Tyler Matzek, writes Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
  • Also from Renck, he notes that Troy Tulowitzki's six-year extension from the Rockies in 2010 drew criticism at the time, but now could be seen as a bargain in the wake of the mega-deals given to Albert Pujols and Joey Votto.
  • The Reds are one of several preseason contenders off to a slow start, but Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News says it's far too early for fans to panic.
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